Self-cleaning bootless grain elevator



Jan. 5, 1960 D. w. KIRKHART EIAL 2,919,792

SELF-CLEANING BOOTLESS GRAIN ELEVATOR Filed Jan 3, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Dale W. Kirk/7a" Tray Perree INVENTORS.

BY WW 3 Jan. 5, 1960 D. w. KIRKHART ET AL 2,919,792

SELF-CLEANING BOOTLESS GRAIN ELEVATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 3,1955 Dale M. Kirk/1dr! Troy Pe/ree IN V EN TORS.

0 BY non yaw 25m Fig. 2

2,919,792 Patented Jan. 5, 1960 hate 2,919,792 SELF-CLEANING 'BOOTLESSGRAIN ELEVATOR Dale W. Kirkhart and Troy Petree, Caldwell, Idaho IApplication January 3, 1955, Serial No. 479,468 1 Claim. Cl. 198-140)This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements ingrain elevators, and more specifically to a grain elevator which is soconstructed whereby the boot thereof is eliminated.

The conventional grain elevator is provided at its bottom with a bootinto which grain to be elevated passes and is picked up by the bucketsof the elevator conveyor. Such a grain elevator construction isdisclosed in the patent issued to Irvin H. Lehman, Patent No. 2,488,671,issued November 22, 1949. In such a grain elevator construction, it isnecessary that the boot be periodically removed in order that the grainwhich settles into the bottom of the boot may be removed so as toprevent decaying thereof. Also, it is necessary to remove and completelyclean out the boot whenever the grain being elevated is changed so thatthere will be no mixing of the grain. Further, the relationship betweenthe boot and the buckets of the conveyor is such that the boot issubject to Wear and the boot must be replaced at intervals.

In order to avoid the foregoing disadvantages of the boot type elevator,it is the primary object of this invention to provide a bootless grainelevator, the grain elevator being so constructed whereby the necessityfor the boot is entirely eliminated and at the same time, there is nowaste of grain as it passes into the buckets of the elevator.

Another object of this invention is to provide a grain elevatorconstruction which is of the self-cleaning type, the grain elevatorhaving an open bottom so that there cannot possibly be any accumulationof grain and being so constructed whereby there is little or no loss ofgrain.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved grainelevator of the bootless type, the grain elevator being so constructedwhereby grain passing thereinto will all be fed into the buckets of thebucket conveyor of the elevator so that the loss of the grain isminimized and also the pick-up boot attachment for assuring the loadingof the bucket is eliminated.

These together with other objects and advantages which Will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through the lower portion ofthe grain elevator which is the subject of this invention and shows therelationship between the bucket type conveyor and the conduit of thegrain elevator; and

Figure 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantiallyupon the plane indicated by the section line 22 of Figure l and showsthe general details of the structure of the lower part of the grainelevator.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the grainelevator, which is the subject of this invention, includes a verticalchute whichis referred to in general by the reference numeral 10. Thechute 10 is formed primarily of a pair of vertical frame members 12which are in opposed relation at opposite ends of the chute 10. Theframe members 12 are channel-shaped in cross-section and are in opposedrelation. Secured to the frame members 12 at opposite sides thereof areend forming blocks 14 which extend vertically. Secured to the blocks 14are side walls 16.

Secured to one of the side walls 16 is a downwardly and inwardly slopinggrain feed chute 18. The grain feed chute 18 is provided with a suitablemetal lining 20 to ensure the proper flow of graintherethrough.

Secured to the side wall 16 to which the chute 18 is attached is aninner wall forming layer 22 which terminates at the lining 20. Securedto the other one of the side walls 16 is an inner wall forming member 24which terminates slightly below the chute 18.

The side Walls 16 are provided below the chute 18 with verticallyspaced, horizontally disposed inner wall forming planks 26. The planks26 are only slightly vertically spaced and have disposed therebetweendownwardly'and inwardly projecting resilient flaps 28. The flaps 28 arepreferably formed of a rubber material and have outer ends 30 thereofseated in notches 32 formed in their respective planks 26. I

The conduit 10 is provided with a lining 34 which is preferably formedof metal. The lining extends about the entire interior of the conduit10, as is best illustrated in Figure 2, and terminates immediatelyadjacent each of the deflectors 28, the adjacent portions of the lining34 being turned up into the spaces between the planks 26 on oppositesides of associated ones of the deflectors 28, as at 36.

Extending upwardly through the conduit 10 is a portion of a bucket typeconveyortwhich is referred to in general by the reference numeral 38.The conveyor 38 includes a lower pair of transversely spaced sprockets40 which are mounted on a shaft 42. The shaft 42 is journaled in a pairof pillow blocks 44 carried by the lower part of the conduit 10.

Entrained on the sprockets 40 is a pair of endless chains 46. The chains46 will also be entrained over uppermost sprockets (not shown) in order,that the movement thereof may be continuous. The chains 46 are guidinglyreceived within the frame members 12 and are provided at spacedintervals with pins 48 which project inwardly into the interior of theconduit 10. The pins 48 are disposed in transversely aligned pairs andhave carried thereby a bucket 50 which is generally triangular incross-section, as is best illustrated in Figure 1. Each bucket 50 issecured to the chains 46 by two sets of pins 48 so that the buckets 50remain in upright positions as they move up through the conduit 10 andin upside-down positions as they move downwardlyexteriorly of theconduit 10.

It is to be noted that each bucket 50 has a width substantially equal tothe Width of the conduit 10 and that there is very little space betweenthe buckets 50 and the lining 54 at the ends of the conduit 10. Thebuckets 50 are disposed in the center of the conduit 10 as it passesupwardly, and the chute 18 is so sloped whereby grain passing downtherethrough will be directed into the center of the buckets 50. It isunderstandable that all grain passing down through the chute 10' willnot pass directly into a bucket 50, and spillage of such grain isprevented by the deflectors 28. The deflectors 28 project into theconduit 10 a distance such that they overlie each bucket 50 as it passesupwardly through the lower portion of the conduit 10. Thus, any grainwhich attempts to pass around the bucket 50 will strike one of thedeflectors 28 and be directed back into its associated bucket 50.Inasmuch as the deflectors 28 are formed of a flexible material, it willbe readily apparent that they Will deflect as the buckets 50 passupwardly thereby, as is best illustrated in broken lines in Figure 1.

Because of the particular construction of the grain elevator, which isthe subject of this invention, it will be readily apparent that allgrain passing down through the chute 18 will be primarily directed intothe buckets 50 and that the loss of grain escaping past the buckets 50will be minimized, if not completely eliminated. By so arranging thechute 18 and the deflector plates 28 with respect to the buckets 50, itwill be readily apparent that the need for a bottom in the grainelevator has been eliminated, and therefore, the elevator may be of thebootless type. By eliminating the bottom or boot of the grain elevator,it will be readily apparent that one of the greatest headaches in grainelevators has been eliminated.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will bereadily understood and further explanation is believed to beunnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described, andaccordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A bootless grain elevator comprising a vertical chute, said verticalchute having a lower open end, a feed chute attached to a lower portionof said vertical chute for introducing grain into said vertical chute,said vertical chute being rectangular in cross-section and including alining having sides and ends, the ends of said lining including channelsoutwardly oflset relative to the general plane of said ends, resilientstrips carried by said sides, said resilient strips extending betweensaid ends, a conveyor passing upwardly through said vertical chute, saidconveyor being of the bucket type and includes a pair of spaced chainswhich are connected together by longitudinally spaced buckets, thebuckets having a length equal to the transverse width of said liningwhereby a seal is provided between opposite ends of said bucket and endsof said lining, said chains being set in said channels, said flexiblestrips projecting downwardly and inwardly into the interior of saidvertical chute distances whereby they are engaged by said buckets anddeflect grain and other material into said buckets, there being aplurality of sets of said resilient strips vertically spaced in thelower portion of said vertical chute whereby deflection of all grainentering into said vertical chute into buckets of said conveyor isassured.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,015,570 Locke Jan. 23, 1912 1,365,901 Enholm Ian. 18, 1921 2,429,549Hapman Oct. 21, 1947 2,483,671 Lehman Nov. 22, 1949 2,552,812 PattersonMay 15, 1951 2,581,720 Schulte Jan. 8, 1952 2,801,729 Hejtmanek Aug. 6,1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 738,540 Germany Aug. 19, 1943

